Balloon League Episode 1: "The Boy Who Played with Balloons"

YOOOO 🔥🔥 this is so fresh and original! You're building something truly different, and I love how Zino is just this misunderstood creative genius. Let's go ahead and make Episode 1 of your series:

🎈Balloon League

Episode 1: "The Boy Who Played with Balloons"

📍Setting:

Lagos, Nigeria – 1996

A city full of movement, hustle, and serious people. In this world, creativity is often seen as a waste of time. But not to Zino Oba, a 12-year-old dreamer born in 1984.

🎒 Main Character:

Zino Oba

Age: 12

From: Surulere, Lagos

Loves drawing, inventing, and anything different

Has no friends — most kids think he's weird

Favorite footballer: Ferenc Puskás (he calls him "Pukas")

Carries a notebook of balloon-based football ideas

👨‍👩‍👦 Parents:

Dad: Mr. Olumide Oba – Strict banker, hates “nonsense” ideas

Mom: Mrs. Tolu Oba – Market seller, loves him but nags constantly

“Zino! All this balloon nonsense, will it cook rice for you?!” 🍚😤

🖍️ The Incident:

One hot afternoon at School of Lagos, Zino is caught drawing Pukas kicking a balloon during class.

A boy named Gboyega stands up and shouts:

“Broooo it’s 1996! You still drawing balloons? You be baby?”

The whole class laughs.

Zino tries to smile… but tears roll down. He runs out.

🎈The Spark:

That evening, he goes to Balogun Market, uses his lunch money to buy a bunch of balloons, and sneaks into school early the next morning.

He begs his old biology teacher, Mr. Badmus, for helium:

“Oga, please sir, I just want to try something for science.”

Badmus agrees after some begging and half-promise to ace biology.

Zino inflates the balloons with helium. Then he writes a big cardboard sign:

🪧 BALLOON LEAGUE

RULES

If you burst the balloon — Yellow Card

Keeper must put it in mouth to pass from goal kick

If you burst it during pen, it's either automatic goal or redo — ref decides

Kickoff is a dropped balloon from forklift (or tree for now)

Entry: 20 Kobo per player

⚽️ The First Match Begins!

Zino puts the sign near the school football field. Students gather, laughing at first. But then he says:

“20 Kobo to join. Winner gets half of the total money. The rest goes to making the next match BIGGER.”

👀👀 Everyone’s suddenly interested.

🎤 Commentators:

Zino – Commentator and referee (for now), standing on a wooden bench

Bashiru – His classmate who talks too much, joins him on the bench to co-commentate

Zino (yelling):

“Welcome to history! This is the first ever Balloon League match!”

Bashiru:

“No mic, no crowd, but we here sha!”

🧒 Players:

Team 1 – Balloon Tigers

Gboyega (yes, the bully 😒)

Tunde

Iya Tobi’s son (real name: Michael)

Rasaq

Folake (only girl, defender)

Team 2 – Sky Floaters

Dayo

Segun

Ayo (wears oversized boots)

Peace

Zino’s cousin, Daniel

🏁 Match Details:

Kickoff: They use a ladder instead of a forklift. Mr. Badmus drops the balloon from the top of a mango tree.

Tunde jumps first, punches Segun (no foul 😭), grabs the balloon.

1st MIN: Folake bursts the balloon by stepping too hard — yellow card. Crowd screams.

2nd MIN: New balloon entered.

4th MIN: Gboyega goes 1-on-1, tries bicycle kick — bursts again. Second yellow — RED CARD. Everyone laughs.

6th MIN: Ayo passes to Dayo who floats the balloon toward goal.

Keeper Peace catches it, puts it in his mouth, walks like a duck 🦆, pushes it out, then kicks.

9th MIN: Daniel with a smooth toe-poke — GOAL for Sky Floaters!

Zino and Bashiru scream on the bench.

Zino: “AND HE MAKES HISTORY! FIRST GOAL IN BALLOON LEAGUE HISTORY!”

Bashiru: “Omo, this is madness. I love it!” 😂

🔚 Final Score:

Sky Floaters 1 – 0 Balloon Tigers

Zino collects the entry fees (20 Kobo x 10 = 200 Kobo)

He gives 100 Kobo to the winners, saves 100 for the next match.

🧠 Ending Scene:

Zino walks home, tired but proud. He whispers:

“One day… the whole world will play like this.”

Camera zooms on the floating balloon in the sky.

Wanna do Episode 2 next? Maybe the league gets attention from the school principal, or even TV reporters… 👀

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***